Speaking at the opening plenary of the 2024 Summit of the International Transport Forum (ITF), under the theme “For a sustainable future in the transport sector: From short-term objectives to long-term strategic governance”, the minister stressed that Morocco is currently working on the development of a national charter for inclusive and sustainable mobility.
“We advocate for a holistic approach to addressing mobility issues, taking into consideration its multidimensional nature: social, economic, environmental, political and institutional,” he said during this plenary session, held in the presence of His Majesty the King’s Ambassador to the Federal Republic of Germany, Zhour Alaoui, more than 50 ministers and government officials from around the world and representatives of international organizations.
Mr. Abdeljalil noted that the transport sector is under unprecedented pressure globally due to various crises: environmental, health and geopolitical. “There is a need to adopt an approach that is both reactive to immediate challenges and proactive to ensure long-term sustainability,” he insisted.
In the short term, the priority remains to reduce gas emissions by accelerating the transition to cleaner transport and rapidly developing the infrastructure needed to support this transition (charging stations, etc.), he said, noting that promoting sustainable and inclusive mobility and reducing dependence on fossil fuels are an immediate priority.
Regarding long-term actions, Mr. Abdeljalil called for the development of integrated visions, aligned with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and international climate agreements and which take into account the lessons learned from current crises.
“It is crucial to strengthen coordination between the different levels of governance and stakeholders, including the private sector and civil society, for a concerted and effective response to the challenges of our sector,” he further argued, also emphasizing the need to invest in innovation and research to develop innovative and sustainable transport solutions.
He also stressed the importance of inclusion and equity in the transport sector, ensuring equitable access to sustainable transport services, particularly for vulnerable populations and rural areas, in order to reduce social and economic inequalities.
Furthermore, the Minister called for collective action at the global level between governments, private sector actors, international organizations and other partners to design and adopt common solutions and, above all, mobilize the necessary resources to implement them.
He further drew attention to the specific needs of developing countries in this transition towards sustainable mobility, noting that these countries often face specific challenges such as lack of infrastructure, budgetary constraints and technical capacity needs.
“These countries need adequate support to overcome these obstacles. This can be done through technology transfer, capacity building and mobilization of financing to support the transition to cleaner and more efficient transport systems,” he detailed.
A high-level Moroccan delegation, led by Mr. Abdeljalil, is taking part in the work of the 2024 Summit of the International Transport Forum (ITF), which opened on Wednesday in Leipzig (Germany) under the theme “Making transport greener: Let’s stay focused in times of crisis”.
This forum, which continues until May 24, constitutes an opportunity to present the Moroccan experience in the transport sector and to highlight its leadership at the level of the African continent in this field, as well as an opportunity to strengthen bilateral cooperation with several member countries of the FIT, through the holding of meetings focused on strengthening cooperation ties in the field of transport, in addition to sharing expertise and experience.
Furthermore, Morocco is participating in this edition with a stand dedicated to the promotion of the 4th Global Ministerial Conference on Road Safety, scheduled for February 18-20, 2025 in Marrakech.
2024-09-26 10:48:14